Display device and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

Provided is a display device that includes: a gate line disposed on a substrate, the gate line including a protruding gate electrode; a data line extending across the gate line, the data line having first and second segments spaced apart from each other; a semiconductor pattern overlapping with the gate electrode; a drain electrode that contacts a drain region of the semiconductor pattern and connects the first and second segments; a source electrode that contacts a source region of the semiconductor pattern; and a storage electrode overlapping with the data line.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display device comprising:
 a substrate having pixel regions; 
 gate lines disposed on the substrate and extending between the pixel regions, the gate lines comprising protruding gate electrodes; 
 data lines crossing the gate lines and extending between the pixel regions, the data lines comprising first segments and second segments that are spaced apart from each other; 
 a storage electrode overlapping with the data lines; 
 wherein each of the pixel regions comprises:
 a semiconductor pattern overlapping with one of the gate electrodes; 
 a drain electrode that contacts a drain region of the semiconductor pattern and connects adjacent ones of the first and second segments; and 
 a source electrode that contacts a source region of the semiconductor pattern. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the storage electrode is disposed above the gate lines and the data lines, with respect to the substrate. 
     
     
       3. The display device of  claim 2 , wherein the data line and the gate line are disposed directly on the substrate. 
     
     
       4. The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the storage electrode comprises:
 first parts extending substantially parallel to the gate lines; and 
 second parts extending substantially parallel to the data lines. 
 
     
     
       5. The display device of  claim 4 , wherein the second parts are overlapped with the data lines. 
     
     
       6. The display device of  claim 4 , wherein the second parts are wider than the data lines. 
     
     
       7. The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the gate lines extend between the first segments and the second segments. 
     
     
       8. The display device of  claim 1 , further comprising a dielectric layer that covers the gate lines and the data lines,
 wherein the drain electrodes are disposed on the dielectric layer and penetrate the dielectric layer to connect the first segments and the second segments. 
 
     
     
       9. The display device of  claim 8 , wherein the storage electrodes are disposed on the dielectric layer and cover the data lines. 
     
     
       10. The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the storage electrode, the source electrodes, and the drain electrodes comprise a transparent conductive material. 
     
     
       11. A method of fabricating a display device, the method comprising:
 forming a gate line on a substrate, the gate line comprising a protruding gate electrode; 
 forming a data line across the gate line, the data line comprising a first segment and a separate second segment; 
 forming a dielectric layer on the gate line and the data line; 
 forming a semiconductor pattern on the gate electrode; 
 patterning the dielectric layer to form openings exposing ends of the first segment and the second segment; 
 forming a drain electrode on a drain region of the semiconductor pattern, the drain electrode connecting the first and second segments through the openings formed in the dielectric layer; 
 forming a source electrode on a source region of the semiconductor pattern; and 
 forming a storage electrode on the data line. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein a common mask process is used to form the drain electrode, the source electrode, and the storage electrode. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein a common mask process is used to form the gate line and the data line. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dielectric layer is formed between the semiconductor pattern and the gate electrode. 
     
     
       15. A display device comprising:
 a substrate comprising pixel regions; 
 data lines disposed on the substrate and extending between the pixel regions, the data lines comprising first segments and second segments; 
 gate lines extending between the pixel regions and through gaps formed between the first segments and the second segments, the gate lines comprising gate electrodes that extend toward the pixel regions; 
 a first dielectric layer disposed on the data lines and the gate lines; 
 semiconductor patterns disposed on first dielectric layer facing the gate electrodes; 
 drain electrodes disposed on drain regions of the semiconductor patterns and connecting adjacent ones of the first and second segments; 
 source electrodes disposed on source regions of the semiconductor patterns; and 
 pixel electrodes disposed in the pixel regions and connected to the source electrodes. 
 
     
     
       16. The display device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a storage electrode disposed on the first dielectric layer; and 
 a second dielectric layer disposed between the pixel electrodes and the storage electrode. 
 
     
     
       17. The display device of  claim 16 , wherein the storage electrode comprises:
 first parts that face the data lines; and 
 second parts that extend from the first portions across the pixel regions. 
 
     
     
       18. The display device of  claim 17 , wherein the second parts are wider than the data lines.